Air conditioning method and apparatus



Nov. 3, 1931.

S. M. ANDERSON AIR CONDITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1930 w 5 mm Nu m; mww

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Nov. 3, 1931. s. M. ANDERSON 1,830,182

AIR CONDITIONING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed June 21, 1930 2 Sheets-Shee 2 INVENTOR. flnusz. guns/ sou g pm 4% ATTORNEYS.

jaten ted Nov. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- SAMUEL M. ANDERSON, OF SHARON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. F. ST'U'RTEVANT COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A COMPANY AIR CONDITIONING METHOD" AND APPARATUS Application filed June 21,

This invention relates to unit humidifiers ind, more particularly, to unit humldlfiers which may be used in small enclosures.

An object of the invention is to mo sten air without noise.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit humidifier without an auxiliarytan or rotating spray producing mechanisms.

Another object of' the invention is to provide a small unit humidifier constructed on ;he atomizer principle.

Another object of the invention is to apply 1. silencer to a humidifier.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unit humidifier of the atomizer type with a self-contained liquid and air supply.

Another object of the invention is to pro.- vide a humidifying system utilizing unit hu+ midifiers of the atomizer type havin central compressed airand liquid supplies or operating unit humidifiers spaced throughout a building.

Other objects of the invention will be brought out in the following description of the invention, and its operation:

It is becoming better and better known that living conditions in heated rooms are greatly improved when the air within the rooms contains a substantial amount of moisture or water vapor which tends to prevent the drying of the nasal and throat passages of the occupants. This moisture also tends to prevent the circulation of dust, which in itself is undesirable and may be injurious. Also, in certain manufacturing processes, among which are the manufacture of paper and the manufacture of cloth, the presence of a certain amount ofmoisture is necessary in the air in which the processes are employed. The heating systems generally employed for heating buildings'effectively reduce the relative amount of moisture in the air so that it has been found desirabletp provide humidifying apparatus for introducing additional moisture to compensate for the loss of relative humidity through the heating process.

A great many theatres and manufacturing plants have humidifying systems combined with ventilating systems, the systems beingbuilt-in, so to speak, as apart of the buildings.

1930. Serial No. 462,778.

Such an arrangement is not always practical in oifice buildings, in homes, and in some manufacturing plants.

Heretofore, in rooms of buildings not hav--v ing built-in humidifying systems, it has been customary, when it is desired to humidify the air, to employ small unit humidifiers ofthe type employing a rapidly revolving member against which a stream of water is impinged so as to throw off by centrifugal force-against bafiie plates, a water spray. Such humidifiers are unsatisfactory. Ihey are noisy, require considerable attention, and are inefficient.

According to a feature of'thls inventlon, a

unit humidifier is provided having no revolving members for producing a spray. The

humidifier, according to this inventlon, op

crates on the atomizer principle. The compressed air stream is forced across the mouth of a water nozzle creatlng a suction wlthi'n'the water tube so as to draw water through the water tube, which at the mouth of the water tion, a unit humidifier utilizing atomizing nozzles has its own self-contained compresse air and water supply.

According to another feature of the invention, a central compressed air and water supply in the basement, or other suitable portion of the building, is provided, the water and compressed air being piped to each room, or portion of the building, where it may be desired to humidity the air. Then, unit humidifiers of the atomizer type, according to this invention, are provided in'each of the rooms and connected to the compressed air and water piping.

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side view partially in section of a unit humidifier, according to this invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of the water and compressed air nozzles utilized in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional viewthrough one form of a silencer which may be employed in the unit humidifier of Fig. 1;

Figure at is a sectional view along the lines 44 of the silencer ofFig. 3.

Figure 5 is a view showing acentral compressed air and Water supply with a number of unit humidifiers placed throughout the building;

Figure 6 is a side view in section-of a unit humidifier of the atomizer type having a self-contained compressed air and water supply, and

Flgure 7 is a sectional View along the lines 1.

77 of Fig. 6. t

Referring now to Fig. 1, the unit humidifie'r there shown comprises the container 10, which may be of sheetmetal, or other suitable material, and which may be shaped to re semble a vvase, or other decorative object. Within the container "10 is the airnozzle 11 through which a stream of compressed air "is applied from an outside source, a water nozzle 12 through which water is drawn by the compressed air through the nozzle 11 from the Water reservoir in the base of the container 10, the silencer 13 into which the atomized spray, produced from the water and compressed air nozzles, is projected, and

the water supply pipe 14 which is controlled by the float valve 15. b

' The operation of the apparatus shown by .Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, will now be explained.

The water level in the reservoir at the bottom of the container 10 is maintained at a pressed air is forced throu h the nozzle 11 from an outside source, w ich compressed a r passing across the mouth of the water nozzle 12 creates a vacuum therein and pulls '-.the water from the storage basein the bottom of the container 10 through the water pipe 12 to the mouth thereof, where it is converted into an atomized spray by the pressure of the compressed air at that point.

Ordinarily, the passage of the compressed air produces a high pitched hissing sound, which is undesirable. To prevent this, the atomized stream of water and air is projected into the lower portion of the silencer 13. A portion of the Water spray is precipitated on the sound absorptive members 31, 32, 33,

34 and of the silencer, and drains back into the reservoir, but a large portion exits with-.

out noise through the mouth 17 of the silenc- The silencer 13, illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, consists of a metal casing within which are supported the sound absorptive members 31, 32, 33 and 34. These sound absorptive members may be of felt, sponge rubber, or other suitable material. and each member has an opening therein staggered with respect to the openings in members on each of its sides A large portion of the atomized spray is carried upwards through the openings in the said absorptive members and out the opening 17, but the sound waves are absorbed by the sound absorptive members. While this type of silencer is satisfactory, obviously other types of mufilers or silencers could be usedwith the humidifier.

It is seen that with this arrangement a simple, compact, and efiieient humidifier oi the unit type, is provided. According to this invention, the centrifugal pump, the rotating disk, and the fan blades of the present type of unit humidifiers, are done away with. The noise produced in the process of atomization is absorbed in thesilencer so that no noise is introduced into the room by the operation of the device. The compressed air not only produces a finely divided spray, but carries 1 the-spray up into the room without the necessity of the usual fan.

The atomizer humidifier herein described may be of a portable type containing within its structure an air compressor and a water reservoir, this type being shown by Figs. '4' and 8, or may be of the type shown by Fig. 1, into which are fed water and compressed airfrom an outside source.

A humidifying system, according to this invention, may-be built into a building without the necessity for a built-in ventilating system, which combination of systems is essential in present practice. With a humidifying system, according to this invention, one of the unit atomizer humidifiers may be installed in each room of a building where it is desired that the air be humidified, it only being necessary that water and compressed air piping be conveyed to, and have an outlet in each room. A central Water supply, which may be from the city mains, provides the water to be atomized. A central air compressor or compressed air storage tank may be arranged in .the basement, attic, or other suitable portion of a building. One embodiment of such a system is illustrated by Fig. 6. There,.the several floors and several rooms of a building are illustrated schematically. Unit humidifiers 10 of the type described, in connection with Fig. 1, are placed in each room.

In the basement of the building is placed a compressor plant which comprises the air compressor 18. the air intake of which may pass through the silencer l9,the compres'ed air storage tank 20. and the electric motor 21, which serves to drive the compressor 18.

A compressed air line 22 passes from the compressor plantthrough the variousfloor of the building, branch air lines 23 being tapped to supply the various unit humidifiers 10. The water main 24 carries the water supply through the various floors of the building.

The branch water lines 25 convey the water supply to each of the unit humidifiers 10. The

room of a building may be controlled exactly as desired. Replacements are easy and first cost is low.

This humidifying system, utilizing unit humidifiers spaced throughout a building with central water and air sup 1 lends itself, with few modifications, to uildings already constructed which have numerous suction connections-for vacuum cleaners. As is well known, many buildings now have a central vacuum system with pipes leading from the central equipment to individual rooms or a series of individual rooms. The unit humidifiers of this invention may have their air intake connected with the vacuum piping, and the vacuum equipment in the central location can either be reversed to supply air under pressure to the unit humidifiers or an air compresser may be connected at the central -location to the pipe lines to supply the desired air pressure. Y

It is realized that a system of air and water piping, .such as that described in connection with Fig. 6, cannot always be employed in buildings already constructed, and that for rooms of such buildings it is desirable to have a portable typehumidifier which may have a self-contained air and water supply.

One embodiment of such a humidifier is shown by Figs. 6 and 7. The electric motor 26 drives the small air compressor 27. The air for the air compressor 27 is drawn through the silencer 36 and after compression is fed through the air pipe 28 to the air nozzle of the humidifier. unit has a large water storage space into which water may be introduced through the opening 29. The operation of the unit humidifier is similar to that described in connection with Fig. 1, the compressed air passing through the water nozzle and producing at the mouth of the water nozzle an atomized spray which is directed into the silencer 30 from the mouth of which a large portion of the atomized spray is projected into the room without noise. Obviously, the unit humiditiers would not haveto have the shapes shown by Figs. 7 and 8. It would be but a. simple matter to disguise the appearance of the essential portions of the humidifier to present a pleasing appearance which could even, be decorative.

The main feature of this invention is the elimination of noise in humidifiers. To this s end, it is'planned that sound insulating ma- The base of the humidifierterial be placed at every place where sound might be produced or transmitted. Where the compressed air and water piping enters the unit humidifiers, it is planned to place sound absorptive material. The same material is to be used at every point of supportof the silencer and of all other equipment.

Whereas one or more embodiments of the invention have been described for the purpose of illustration, it should be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to any of the particular embodiments described, but

onl by the annexed claims.

aving described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A humidifier comprising a supply of liquid-means for producing anatomized mixture of said liquid through the action of a compressed air stream, and'means for reducing the noise from said first mentioned means.

2. A humidifier comprising an atomizer utilizing air under pressure, and a silencer for reducing the noise from said atomizer.

3. A humidifier comprising a silencer, and

means for projecting an atomized spray of' air and liquid into said silencer.

4. A unit humidifier comprising a container, a water reservoir, a water nozzle extending into said reservoir, a compressed air nozzle arranged to atomize water from said water nozzle, and a silencer arranged to receive the atomized water.

5. A portable unit humidifier comprisin a water supply, means for producing compressed air, means for atomizing water from said supply by said compressed air, and means for reducing the noise from said second mentioned means.

6. A portable unit humidifier comprising a yvater reservoir, means for producing compressed air, means for atomizing water from said sup ly by said compressed air, and a silencer or receiving the atomized spray to reduce the noise resulting from the production of same. A

7. An air conditioning system comprising a central compressed air sup ly, a central water supply, and a plurality 0 unit atomizer humidifiers connected to said'air and water supplies. I

8. A s stem for conditioning air in a plurality 0 locations comprising central compressed air and water supplles, piping between said supplies and each of said locations, and an atomizing humidifier in each of said locations connected to said'piping.

9. A sfystem for conditioning air in a plurality 0 locations comprising central compressed air and water supplies, piping between said supplies and each of said locations, and an atomizing humidifier in each of said locations connected to said piping, said humidifiers containing silencers for reducing the noise of operation.

10. An air conditioning system comprising a central compressed air supply, a central water supply, and a plurality of unit atomizing humidifiers connected to said air and water supplies, each of said humidifiers containing a silencer for reducing the noise of operation. 3

In testimon whereof I aflix my signature.

AMUEL M. ANDERSON. 

